Live:Eat: Breathe: Public Relations

This day in Women’s History | Celebrating Women’s History Month

This morning I was reading an article from Mary Claypool, that I decided to share. It provides some good insight on how Women’s History Month grew from a week to a full month. And surprisingly to me Women’s History Month is a relatively new thing started back in 1978. For me its always good to learn why we have these months dedicated to certain issues or causes. I like to know how they came about.

Take a read:

March is Women’s History Month, and the theme is our strength is our history. Women’s History Month began as a grassroots effort because women’s contributions were largely ignored by the U.S. educational system up through the 1970s.The purpose of Women’s History Month is to increase consciousness and knowledge of women’s history, to take a month to remember the contributions of notable and ordinary women, in hope that the day will come when it’s impossible to teach or learn history without remembering these contributions. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women was the first organization in the U.S. to successfully promote the idea of a Women’s History Week. In 1978, the group selected the week of March 8 for Women’s History Week because it coincided with International Women’s Day.In 1980, a group founded by five women in Santa Rosa led an effort to have the celebration expanded to include the entire month. In 1981, the first Joint Congressional Resolution declaring a National Women’s History Week was co-sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month.

President Barack Obama stated in his 2011 proclamation of Women’s History Month, “They scale the skies as astronauts, expand our economy as entrepreneurs and business leaders, and serve our country at the highest levels of government and our armed forces.”In honor of the pioneering women who came before us, and in recognition of those who will come after us, this month, we recommit to erasing the remaining inequities facing women in our day. This month reminds us that, while enormous progress has been made, there is still work to be done before women achieve true parity. Women have, and continue to be, a force in shaping the world. Women have proven their value and abilities in all areas of sports and the professional arena.

It has not always been easy or socially acceptable, but many have persevered and paved the way for all of us: from Josephine Baker, an African-American international star, civil rights activist and World War II heroine, to Carrie Chapman Catt, suffragette and founder of the League of Women Voters, to Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to get a pilot’s license.While the U.S. has yet to elect a female president, many other countries and territories are governed by a woman. In the U.S., there have been 39 women in the Senate. Thirteen of the women who have served were appointed and seven of those were appointed to succeed their deceased husbands. The first woman served in 1922; 17 current senators are women.The thought of women working for complex, multi-national companies was once unheard of.

Today, women are running companies. Progress has been made, but much work is still needed. Even though women make up more than half of America’s labor force, 2009 statistics reflect that only 12 Fortune 500 companies and 25 Fortune 1000 companies have female CEOs or presidents.Locally, the Monterey County Commission on the Status of Women honors the diversity of women in Monterey County, their work and the contribution they make throughout our county. Celebrate Women’s History Month by thanking a woman you know for her contributions to your life, our community and the nation.

Maryis an adviser with Claypool Consulting and former executive director of the Monterey County Business Council. She can be reached at maryclaypool@sbcglobal.net or 917-3777.

Happy Flying,

~Solo Dove~

About the Author

Sandra Florent is the entertainment and non-profit publicist behind Solo Dove Public Relations. Based in New Jersey Solo Dove Public Relations provides personalized publicity, public relations, consulting, and event planning services to clients in their area of expertise.

A Dove's Flight

A Dove's Flight is about the life of a 20 something year old publicist working in the industry while maintaining a 9-5. She is also becoming more in tune with other areas of media and branding. This is your destination for insights on PR, industry events, fashion, social media, beauty reviews and non profit brands. Prepare to take flight.